Carson City Library Director named Nevada Librarian of the Year

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) -- Carson City Library Director Sara Jones was named the 2012 Nevada Library Association’s (NLA) Librarian of the Year at its 67th annual conference, held Oct. 4 & 5 at the Sahara West Library in Las Vegas.

Jones joins the ranks of an elite group of librarians recognized for effective advancement and extension of library services; exemplary library management; notable activity in recruitment to the profession; statewide planning and for broadening the scope of library and information service to the community.

With full support of the Carson City Library staff, the Carson City Library Board of Trustees, the Carson City Friends of the Library, the Carson City Library Foundation, the Carson City Manager and Carson City’s Mayor, Jones’ nomination focused on the last six years of her Carson City service, although her career spans over twenty-five years. Prior to the Carson City director position, Jones was the Nevada State Librarian under the Guinn administration.

For Carson City service, Jones was cited with noteworthy fiscally restrained management and transformative leadership which have resulted in additional hours open to the public, increased and improved technology, added services and more space, within two new branches.

“She has been able to organize staff in a manner that creates greater community access to the library, while at the same time reduces expenses to help meet community budget goals. The vision of Mrs. Jones to see the role of the library in the digital world has been successful in increasing the number of patrons across all age groups. Also, she has been instrumental in bringing brand new technology to the library in forms such as radio frequency identification for check in and out of materials that resulted in extending library service hours, by installing a robotic branch library at the local Boys and Girls Club and by creating a computer learning center available to all,” said Carson City Manager Larry Werner in a letter of support for Jones nomination.

A nearly six year Carson City chronology of Jones’ leadership shows increased connection with youth, adults, business and the elderly with focused library services and programming related to pressing civic and economic community issues.

“Sara has developed the social and economic fibers that, at a pivotal time in Carson City’s history, have essentially woven together the community itself and then effectively hailed the public library as a place for everyone. One only needs to review 2011 the Carson City Library’s circulation, use and programming records to see the way more than 1,000 patrons each day interact with the Carson City Library (see sidebar 2011 R.O.I.), which reflects tremendous gains from the previous decade at the Carson City Library,” said Carson City Library Trustee Chairwoman Sandy Foley.